US President Donald Trump wrapped up his visit to China on Friday after holding key meetings with Chinese President Xi Jinping, while his top aides have reportedly prepared plans for fresh military action against Iran, including a new name for the conflict, if the current ceasefire collapses.
Notably, the US had paused ‘Operation Epic Fury’, the name used for its strikes on Iran, last month and instead moved to a port blockade as a pressure move. Tehran responded by saying it would not reopen the Strait of Hormuz unless Washington ended the blockade.
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New name for US strikes on Iran?
If the present ceasefire falls apart and Trump chooses to restart large-scale military operations, the US military is considering changing the war’s official name to ‘Operation Sledgehammer’, US news outlet NBC reported citing two American officials.
The administration had announced the end of Operation Epic Fury after the US and Iran reached a ceasefire agreement in early April to continue diplomatic talks.
Trump on Iran reply to US proposal
However, Trump has dismissed Iran’s latest response to a US peace proposal as “garbage”.
Iran’s proposal reportedly included certain nuclear concessions, however, Trump repeatedly said that he wants highly enriched urani removed from the country and wants to stop Tehran from developing nuclear weapons. Iran, however, says that its nuclear programme is meant for peaceful use.
Talks about replacing ‘Operation Epic Fury’ with ‘Operation Sledgehammer’ could signal that the administration is seriously considering restarting the conflict, the report said.
Notably, Operation Sledgehammer is among several names being discussed and not the only option, the officials added.
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US military’s fresh plan on strikes against Iran
Trump has not yet decided what action his administration will take next in the conflict with Iran.
However, officials from countries involved in discussions have reportedly been trying to work out a compromise that could lead Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and allow the US president to declare victory, The New York Times reported citing officials.
They said the US and Israel have begun preparations for the possibility of fresh attacks against Iran. The preparations are said to be the largest since the ceasefire came into effect and could lead to military action as early as next week.
What are the US options now?
If Trump approves fresh strikes, one option under consideration is stronger bombing operations targeting Iranian military sites and infrastructure, officials told the publication.
Another possible step sending Special Operations forces on the ground to target nuclear material hidden deep underground.
Senior Pentagon officials and military leaders have said that during the month-long pause in bombing, the US used the time to replenish weapons supplies on warships and aircraft deployed in the region.
Meanwhile, Iranian parliamentary speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, who had earlier served as a chief negotiator in talks with Washington, said this week that the country’s armed forces were prepared to “teach a lesson for any aggression”.
Negotiations between Iran and the US remain stalled amid the fragile ceasefire. As a result, tensions continue to remain high in West Asia over concerns that the region could once again slip into direct and extend the global energy crisis triggered by the war. Trump and Xi, who ended their discussions on Friday, also agreed that the strait should be reopened. China, however, maintained its trade ties with Iran.
With inputs from agencies
